Group therapy in a blog.
Hung Up on “Knocked Up”
[Thanks for your patience, all. I’ve been across the Atlantic twice, and back once. I’m now in Israel again and overworked as usual. But finally, here’s a new post…]
I can’t get “Knocked Up” out of my head. Not just because it was a hilarious movie, which it was, or because it was the brainchild of the previously over-aforementioned Judd Apatow. And not even because it contained this gem of a clip that seemed so random and so on-point at the same time in its absurd level of Jewish pride in the movie “Munich.”
I just can’t stop thinking about the plot. Funny Seth Rogen–who was working on a career as the Solid Stoner King of Sidekickland– lands beautiful Katharine Heigl. When beauty meets hilarious person, it always seems to be a gorgeous girl and a schlubby guy. Or alternately, a gorgeous girl who wears glasses and a ponytail and at the end of the movie takes down her hair, and gets contact lenses, and is suddenly beautiful, and a gorgeous guy… Heigl’s character comes to appreciate Rogen’s character for his loyalty, his devotion, his humor, and his good nature. I’m a fan of the message–get to know someone before you judge them and you might discover something unexpected. But here’s the thing: I’m worried about the backlash.
Newsweek called Rogen’s ilk (fellow members of the “non-matinee idol” type, or as I like to call it, the “Schlub Club,” the “Beta Male“–and I admit, when it comes to this “Alpha Beta” scale, I’m a beta female. But is there a danger that my potential beta male companions will go searching for alpha females? And if so, where do the “beta-ettes” go? To the gammas? Deltas?
To clarify, this does not stop me from loving this movie. I will have to see it again…
Well it’s good to hear from you here Esther. Me, I look at Seth Rogen, and then I look at Katharine Heigl, and it’s once again yet another Hollywood ‘wish fulfillment’ fantasy. The only way most schlubby guys get to date or even near the model types in these movies is by producing them to fulfill all the unfulfilled fantasies of all the other schlubby guys he left behind, like not so long ago way back East. That’s about it. Only then are the other remarkable qualities about your personality, soul or wit more readily apparent to the opposite sex. Loyalty & devotion you can get from a pet. And ‘Good nature’ is what was once expected from most humans if they were healthy & upright adults.
And yeah, I’ll also note that what passes for witty dialog has taken a nose dive from even the idiocy I was familiar with back when I actually went to movies. But hey, I’m a guy who thinks that in a very real sense ‘comedy’ movies have been going down hill since the demise of Mack Sennett’s ‘one reelers’ & Hal Roach Studios. Yes, really! Cheers & Good Luck, ‘VJ’
Loved, loved the movie. Anyways, Heigel’s character was not an Alpha Female. She wasn’t a strong, competative leader type. She was merely beautiful. Alpha/Beta does not correlate with beauty. As many beautiful Beta males and females exist as do beautiful Alphas. For men, its about beauty. All guys – alphas, betas, schlubs, non-schlubs – ideally want a beautiful woman. (In fact, most guys do NOT want Alpha women..). Period. However, more women are attracted to Alpha males, and you tend to see more Alpha males with beautiful women than beta males (mainly because Alphas are more likely to be powerul and wealthy and, thus, attractive to women). Therefore, seeing a Beta male getting the beautiful woman, as in Knocked Up and other similar movies, is such a great premise.
Loved, loved the movie. Anyways, Heigel’s character was not an Alpha Female. She wasn’t a strong, competative leader type. She was merely beautiful. Alpha/Beta does not correlate with beauty. As many beautiful Beta males and females exist as do beautiful Alphas. For men, its about beauty. All guys – alphas, betas, schlubs, non-schlubs – ideally want a beautiful woman. (In fact, most guys do NOT want Alpha women..). Period. However, more women are attracted to Alpha males, and you tend to see more Alpha males with beautiful women than beta males (mainly because Alphas are more likely to be powerul and wealthy and, thus, attractive to women). Therefore, seeing a Beta male getting the beautiful woman, as in Knocked Up and other similar movies, is such a great premise.
But have no fear. Its just a movie.
Speaking as a beta, I usually end up dating gammas and deltas…but I also have crappy taste, so…
Honestly, this “beta male gets alpha female” thing ONLY goes in Hollywood. Not in real life. You have nothing to worry about.
Just wanted to drop a note and say I finally saw “Knocked Up” this past weekend and loved it as much as you did!
ok, i’ve had enough. after years of reading your over analysis of your dating situation, its time for some obvious advice: as long as you choose not to be thin, you might as well not worry about men, since almost no decent jewish guy will want you. not obese=datable=relationship. do whatever it takes to lose weight and avoid ending up permanently alone and desperate. also: don’t shoot the messenger.
Dude! How crude… We out number you, [60 vs. 40%] so we’re going to vote You off the island! Besides, ever take a good look at most of those fine Jewish ‘schlubs’? They might be many things to many people, but most a’int skinny. Cheers, ‘VJ’
Wow, brutaldude, you’re an asshole!
ya, brutaldude, there are lots of really nice overweight men who go for overweight women.
i think guys tend to be more superficial than gals so sometimes a not-so-hot dude (but smart or powerful) can score a hot gal. vice-versa is probably true too.